Title 5 Statement of Reasons

May 27, 2022​

Statement of Reasons
for Amendment of
​Title 5, California Code of Regulations, Section 40510

 
This item proposes amending Title 5 § 40510 to allow for programs that combine a bachelor's and a master's degree into a single program (referred to as blended programs) to be double counted up to 12 semester units for both the bachelor's degree and the master's degree. This would allow for a total reduction of units for the two degrees totaling 138; as opposed to the current structure that requires 120 units for the bachelor's degree and 30 units for the master's degree. These blended degrees would require that 1) none of the required graduate classes is replaced by an undergraduate class and 2) graduate classes that are counted toward the bachelor's degree either assume the more rudimentary knowledge taught at the undergraduate level or cover the content of the undergraduate courses that they replace.

Students in these programs are classified as undergraduate students and pay undergraduate tuition until the semester after they have earned 120 blended program-eligible units. At that time, they are classified as graduate students and are charged graduate tuition. Students are awarded both a bachelor's and master's degree when they satisfy degree requirements for each degree. It is important to note that blended programs would not be mandated for students; rather, they would be an optional path. Students could always, if they so choose, complete an entire 120 units at the undergraduate level, and an entire 30 units at the graduate level. However, the availability of the blended path likely will provide access for a larger population of CSU students to obtain graduate degrees. Additionally, students who complete the 120-unit bachelor's degree will be allowed to choose to not continue on the path to a master's degree.

There are many advantages for both students and campuses in creating this single pathway. For students these advantages include:

• Once accepted into the program, whether as a first-time freshman or as a transfer student, students need only to complete one application and are not required to formally apply for the graduate degree program.
• Undergraduate coursework seamlessly transfers to graduate coursework.
• An accelerated completion of the graduate degree by enrolling in graduate classes while in undergraduate status, allowing the double counting​ of 12 units.

For campus degree programs, benefits include:

• Potential to increase enrollments in both undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Potential to increase the diversity of CSU graduate programs by recruiting more diverse undergraduate students into graduate programs.
• Potential to increase competitiveness with other state university systems and private universities that allow and offer similar blended programs already.

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